It was Monday, the start of a new class.
Everyone had to attend classes at that time.
“So why did you come looking for me?”
I boldly skipped the first class.
It was important, but not as much as my current situation.
Instead, I found myself in the Chairman’s office.
I had no idea where the Chairman’s office was, so I got help from a Lizard Beastman.
The Chairman’s secretary didn’t bat an eye at my sudden visit and brought me coffee and a sweet.
I took a sip of the coffee and bit into the sweet.
It had a salty, nutty shrimp flavor.
[…why are there cockroach legs in the sweet?]
“Why the hell is there a Snowpiercer menu at the academy?”
But it actually tasted decent, so I finished it anyway.
The secretary’s expression crinkled slightly, but I didn’t care about such trivialities.
In fact, when I tossed one at her, her poker face fell and she recoiled in shock.
‘……This little brat knew it was bad, huh?’
[Looks like we’re starting a real psychological warfare here.]
‘Yeah, I’m gonna eat it all. Protein maximized.’
I finished chewing the last of the sweet and directly stated my purpose for visiting the Chairman.
“Please stamp this seal.”
“Where? I won’t stamp on any guarantee documents.”
“It’s not that, so don’t be scared.”
I handed over the paper marked with Heavenly Demon blood.
The Chairman slowly read through it, frowning as he spoke.
“Do you think I’m going to permit this?”
“What about a photo of Ryu Kang-hyuk getting stomped?”
“Hmm…”
“And I can add Ryu Kang-hyuk’s home address to that.”
“Should I stamp here at the bottom?”
[……What on earth did that guy do to get everyone so riled up?]
‘Why is this working so well?’
The Chairman pulled out a plain yet antique-looking seal from his drawer and slammed it down onto the paper.
He seemed to remember Ryu Kang-hyuk while stamping because he stamped it down two more times out of anger.
After stamping, he passed me the paper with the red seal via his secretary.
I quickly provided him with Kang-hyuk’s address, and the secretary began jotting it down.
“Where will you use the photo of Ryu Kang-hyuk?”
“I’m going to overlay my face on his and make it into a poster.”
‘Seriously, how are humans all the same?’
[What’s the big deal… ]
The Chairman gazed at me intently and opened his mouth.
“So is that all you came for?”
“One more thing.”
“Go ahead.”
The Chairman then clasped his hands and stared at me with a sharp gaze.
“Please write me a recommendation letter.”
“Are you planning to become the student council president? The registration has already ended.”
“I’m not doing it right now.”
“Then tell me what else you want from me.”
‘If that jerk gave you a letter, you’d be satisfied.’
[Humans’ greed knows no bounds.]
I made one proposition to the Chairman.
A short while later, I confidently walked out of the Chairman’s office.
With the Chairman’s recommendation letter in hand.
*
Kim Shinwoo had just left the Chairman’s office.
Chairman Jang In-hyuk was laughing heartily.
Meanwhile, the secretary next to him had an unusually troubled expression.
As Chairman Jang’s laughter waned, the secretary quietly spoke up.
“Do you really think it’s possible?”
“How amusing. So amusing.”
“Do you trust that student?”
Seeing that Chairman Jang showed no sign of listening, the secretary spoke with slight irritation.
“But still… to bring down the Chief in front of the Chairman…”
“Besides, didn’t they just say they’d hand over the Chief position to me?”
“Realistically, that doesn’t make sense.”
Chairman Jang wiped away the tears at the corners of his eyes and offered no further response.
Then the secretary began to express even stronger dissatisfaction.
“They say they’re going to elevate the treatment of research students. And then to screw the Chief over like that.”
“That’s why it’s so amusing.”
“That’s too much for a mere student to conceive.”
Chairman Jang then linked his fingers behind his head and crossed his legs on the desk.
In that instant, he combined leisure with an overwhelming presence.
Of course, the humor in his face slightly softened the intimidation.
“I think the chances of success are very high.”
“Do you really think so?”
“And even if it fails, it won’t matter.”
“Why is that?”
Chairman Jang stretched dramatically before continuing.
“Probably because if they’re coming at me like that, then they must have some dirt on the Chief.”
“Do you think he’ll crumble that easily?”
“If he crumbles, it’s good for me, and if he doesn’t, that student can take responsibility. I can always use it to bite back later.”
“What do you think about the research student situation?”
Chairman Jang rose from his chair and grabbed the doorknob to the Chairman’s office.
“Well, that doesn’t matter. It’s actually beneficial to knock out underqualified professors.”
“Is that so?”
Chairman Jang exited the Chairman’s office.
The secretary raised a question upon seeing him leave.
“Where are you going?”
“Oh, I’m going to go see that bastard Ryu Kang-hyuk.”
“Understood. I’ll prepare the car.”
At that moment, Chairman Jang had a thought and turned to the secretary.
“I’ll handle it myself. You can clock out early.”
“Thank you!”
With the sudden early leave, the secretary’s previous dissatisfaction vanished completely.
Perhaps overjoyed, her typically composed expression shattered, replaced only with pure happiness.
The secretary silently cheered for Kim Shinwoo’s actions in her heart.
*
‘-And that’s what you’re thinking, right? Old man, you underestimated me.’
[How the hell did you figure it out, dammit!]
I was on my way back to the classroom.
Just then, Piece spoke to me.
[Are you truly planning to put that author in the Chief’s seat?]
‘Well, yes. It doesn’t seem like a big deal.’
[But another tragedy could repeat itself, can’t it?]
‘Don’t worry. That won’t happen.’
As I returned to the classroom, Professor Pilyong, in charge of the first class, exploded with rage about where I’d been.
Of course, that rage disappeared when I confidently showed him the paper written in the Chairman’s hand.
“I was at a meeting. Why? Should I call the Chairman?”
“No! Quickly get to your seat!”
This is the taste of power.
So sweet.
‘How dare a professor challenge me.’
[Being powerful is indeed essential.]
I greeted Hyeji and Jeong Ahyeon briefly before taking my seat.
Remembering Piece’s words, I continued speaking.
‘You mentioned tragedy earlier, right? There’s nothing anyone can do about it.’
[Why’s that?]
Rotten limbs must be excised.
The entire Academy is rotten, so shouldn’t we obliterate it all?
What can we achieve as a Chief in a burnt-out place?
I’ll burn it down.
You clean up afterwards.
‘Make sure to take care of the aftermath, old man!!!!’
[……Is this the protagonist?]
I couldn’t hold back and started laughing loudly.
Of course, since I laughed during class, Professor Pilyong threw a lectern at me out of anger.
But I couldn’t stop laughing.
Hyeji and Jeong Ahyeon looked at me with slightly pitying eyes, but I didn’t notice.
*
“Shinwoo, you’re really okay, right?”
“…I’d appreciate it if you could stop hitting my head with that wrench.”
“All the broken things in my house got fixed this way.”
“You seem broken too; how do you plan to fix that?”
“This is the Master’s fault.”
[You’ll regret this.]
In the blink of an eye, Hyeji’s body blow lodged deeply in my abdomen.
Breathless, I began to crumble onto the floor.
Once I could breathe again, I slowly raised myself and spoke to Hyeji.
“Hyeji, can I ask you for one thing?”
“No.”
“Please, just once.”
Gripping Hyeji’s hands desperately, she slightly blushed and cleared her throat.
“Ahem. What do you want?”
“Can you give this to your father and fast-track it through someone you know? More signatures would be great too.”
“Is that something I can ask for?”
Hyeji had an awkward expression.
It seemed it was a bit too much since it wasn’t solely her area.
“I think it might be a stretch.”
“Please. You’re the true heroine of this story.”
“I’ll go right away!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Hyeji dashed out of the classroom in an instant.
*
Fortunately, I managed to catch Hyeji not far away.
However, it took quite a while to calm her down.
She was half out of her mind.
Eventually, when Hyeji could finally speak again, I asked her.
“Could you please deliver it this weekend?”
“Absolutely! I’ll definitely do it! If not, I’ll beat them!”
‘You really solve everything with violence.’
[Keep those thoughts to yourself, voicing them will get you killed.]
Anyway, Hyeji was willing to help me.
I was really grateful.
“Thank you, I appreciate it.”
“Instead, if you meet Professor Kim Ji-sun later, can you check if the restaurant is reserved?”
“Oh, right. Sure.”
Kim Ji-sun had promised Hyeji she would reserve a restaurant, and Hyeji recalled it accurately.
It seemed she highly anticipated that meal.
That day, Hyeji was smiling and cheerful all day long.
However, the other students seemed to interpret it in a different way.
The trembling students, kneeling in prayer, whispered of a prophecy.
As the God of War smiles, the age of calamity approaches.
Repent. Pray. And wail.
[Is this going to create a religion or something?]
‘I’ll be the bishop. I’ll change my name to Kim Salvation.’
*
What happens when a socially influential person expresses a specific opinion?
It attracts attention far beyond what an ordinary person’s words would garner, possibly affecting many other areas.
In this world, Hunters are among those who can wield such influence.
Not long after, a legislation that would shake the Academy was proposed.
Ignoring it was not an option.
After all, there was a substantial stamp marked with Heavenly Demon’s blood on it.
As if it proved that the Heavenly Demon’s opinion was strongly conveyed.
Despite many professors from the Academy protesting, it didn’t last long.
Because the Chairman’s seal was heavily present, seemingly in support of the legislation.
From the state’s perspective, the top-tier Hunter—Heavenly Demon—was someone they couldn’t ignore.
And the Chairman of the relevant institution, the Academy.
There were numerous signatures from many people as well.
One minor curiosity was the tiny blood spatter next to the signature of the 3-star general.
An extensive time had passed, yet it was relatively swift in terms of legislative procedures.
And eventually, the bill was officially announced.
The name was “Human Rights Promotion Act for Research Students.”
Put simply, it meant that research students at the Academy would be treated as humans.
Also known as the [Kim Shinwoo Act].
